Collapsible bath cabinet



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Patented July 11, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARL H. ANDERSON, OF MILTON, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO V TI-IE BURDICK CORPORATION, OF MILTON, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE COLLAPSIBLE BATE-I CABINET Application filed. Gotobr 8, 1930. Serial No. 487,155.

sanitariuins and homes for giving light or heat baths or other similar types of baths or treatments.

My invention contemplates the provision of an improved collapsible cabinet of this type that may be placed in bathrooms or bedrooms, I

occupying in its collapsed or folded position no more space than an ordinary heating radiatoiy and so designed and constructed that it may be decorated to lit in with the color or decorative scheme of the bedroom or bathroom.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved collapsible cabinet of thetype described that may be collapsed or set up in a minimum length of time and that will be sufficiently rigid in either a collapsed or a setup position to be easily handled or moved.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved cabinet of this type in which the exterior appearance will, be neat, uniform and symmetrical in either a collapsed or. a set-up position.

A further object of the present invention is the provision in a cabinet of this type of side walls and top walls capable of being folded into the interior of the cabinet to allow the front and rear portions-of the cabinet to be collapsed together.

A further object of my invention is to pro vide in a cabinet of the type specified a new and improved construction that will be light.

in weight, yet extremely rugged and well capable of withstanding the wear and tearto tion will be more apparent from the follow-v ing description, reference being had to the accompanying sheets of drawings, 1n which: Figure 1 1s a front perspective view of my net; and

with the lights placed in the front corners collapsible cabinet shown in an open or extended position ready for use.

Figure 2 isa similar perspective View of the cabinet in its closed or collapsed position.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken A on the lines 33 of Fig. l and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the 1 cabinet looking to the left and indicated generally by the lines el'i on Fig. 1 and'also on Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a plan sectional view of the cabinet in an extended or open position taken generally on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Figure 6 is a similar plan sectional. view 9 taken onthe same plane as Fig.5 but showingthe cabinet collapsed to a closed position.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan sectional view taken on theline 7 -7 of Fig. a}, illustrating the supporting means for the top wall of the cabinet. V

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view on the. line 8-8 of Fig. ,4, illustrating one of the front supports for the top wall of the cabi-, 7N

Figure 9is a fragmentary perspective view showing how the side wall is hinged to fold inwardly to the collapsed position of the cabinet. p v

The collapsible or fold-in cabinet of my invention may preferably be constructed entirely of steeland may comprise a box-likeback portion 10 formed withthe side walls 12, back wall 16, and the top wall 14. The M back wall 16 carriesnear its lowerend a fuse box 18,accessto which is obtained through a front opening closed by the door 20. Suitable'wires 22. extend from said fuse box 18. to passageways 24 formed along the vertical walls-12 by meansof spaced-away closure portions 26. These wires connect with the side lights 30 in the bath cabinet and con-V. tinue from the top end of the passageways 2% along the sides of the cabinet to also connect of thecabinet. The sidewalls 82 of the cabinet are mounted upon the hinges 34 secured tofthe outsideoft-he closure portions 26 in such a manner that the walls 32 may be swung inwardly from the sides. Side walls 32 are formed in two units and comprise the similar panels 36 pivotally secured together upon suitable hinges 38.

In the interior of the cabinet, guard strips 40 are arranged to overlie the hinges to enclose them from view. The guard strips 40 may be suitably secured to oneof the panels 36 by a pair of clip members 42 positioned at the upper and lower ends of the guard strips. The front ends of the two forward panels 86 may also be pivotally mounted upon suitable hinges 44 carried by the front wall assembly 46.

As will be very apparent from the drawings (see Figs. 5 and 6), the sidewalls 32 may be collapsed by swinging inwardly on the hinges 38 and the front wall assembly 46 may be moved backwardly to the back portion 10 of the cabinet, thereby collapsing the cabinet to. an extremely compact size. The front wall assembly 46 may comprise the corner frame members 48 and the door 56. The end frame members 48 comprise rlgid metallic walls '52, having walls 54 formed at right angles thereto, said walls being formed of the same piece of sheet metal. At the rear end of wall 54, the metal is further bent back upon itself and'then at right angles to form the wall 56'and the upturned flange 58. A sheet metal wall member 60 has an edge turned over the flange 58 and secured thereto by riveting or otherwise, and has an opposite edge62 secured to an edge 64 of the frame member 48 to form in substance a wall of double thickness having an air space therein.

Suitable handles 66 are provided upon the corner frame members 48 to manipulate the cabinet in collapsing the same. The door 50 which is of a sheet metal construction may be mounted upon the hinges 68 on one'of the end frame members 48and be provided'with a knob 70 upon a door bolt 72 which passes through the framework of the door 50 and carries upon the inner side of the door a latching member 74 adapted to engage in a slotted opening 7 6 in an end frame member 48 to securely closethe door. The latching member 74 is provided with a finger piece.

78 so that the door may be unlatched from the inside of the cabinet in order to permit egress from the cabinet.

The top wall 80 of' the cabinet is provided with a cylindrical opening 82 through which the head of the patient is intended to protrude. Top wall 80 is further provided with a pair of upwardly opening door portions 84 secured to the top wall by suitable hinges 86. Top wall 80 is supported at its front end upon a pair of'brackets 88 attached .to the side panels 36, and at its rear end upon a pair of supporting brackets 90 which are attached to and form a part of the upper wall 14 of the back10. The brackets 90 are each formed with an elongated slot 92 to sup- 80 as a unit is moved backwardly with the bolt 94 sliding in the slots 92. The front edge of the top wall 80 Will be moved from the supporting brackets 88 and when the bolts 94 reach the rear end of the slots 92, the top may be dropped and hang in the position shown in Fig. 6.

The panels 36 are formed with inwardly extending upper ledges 96, which ledges provide lateral support for the edges of the top 80in an extended position. The ledges 96 are braced from the panels 36b suitable sheet metal braces 98 which also form a passageway 100 along the upper sides of the panels for the electric light wires 22 that extend to the front rows of lights 30.

It will of course be understood that any suitable number of lights may be. employed, as desired, and the specific arrangement or type of lights is not an essential part of the invention, these lights being customarily used in similar bath-cabinets.

The cabinet may be collapsed in the following manner: The top wall 80 as previously described, which is supported at its frontedges upon the brackets 88, is moved backwardly from the front of the cabinet and v hun from the bolts 94. The Sands 36 which form the sidewalls are then collapsed upon themselves by being swung niwardly upon the hinges38 and the front end of the a I cabinet is'moved back until the offset edges 102 strike against the edges 104 of the back 10. Openings 106 are provided in the front frame members 48 and a pair of latches 108 having hook portions 110 are secured in the back wall 10 and adapted to pass through the openings 106 and securely latch the front assembly 46 to the back portion 10.

By the provision and arrangement of the parts shown, it is possible to collapse :1 cabi- 3 net of a considerable size into a box-like collapsed position requiring only one-fifth or one-sixth the floor space that is required when the cabinet is extended. It will at once be apparent that'no cumbersome or unsightly braces. or brackets or supports are required upon the outside of the cabinet, and the folded-up structure presents a very neat and attractive appearance. It will further be seen that the cabinet in the folded-up posi- L.

tion may readily be shipped or moved about without any possibility of breaking the parts or without any possibility of the cabinet becoming loosened so that it will fall from the collapsed position. The cabinet may readily 1 be built into the bathroom or bedroom of a home, and in its collapsed position require to perform and are so few in number, it can be seen that the entire process of opening or collapsing the cabinet can be accomplished in a minimum length of time without very much effort, so that women or children can easily manipulate and use the same.

Numerous changes and modifications may be made from the specific structure shown and I do not wish to limit myself in any particular. Rather, what I' desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A folding light bath cabinet comprising a shallow rigid box-like back portion having a back, two sides and a top, a pair of extensible side walls pivotally connected to the back portion to the. rear of the front edge thereof, each side wall being composed of a plurality of sections hinged together for inward folding within the front edge of the back portion and for extension beyond the back portion, a top wall pivotally connected to the back portion to the rear of the front edge thereof to be foldable down within the back portion, and a rigid front wall hinged at opposite edges to the sections of the side wall, said front wall forming the front of the extended cabinet and cooperating with the back portion to form a closure for the top and side walls when they are folded within the back portion.

2. A folding light bath cabinet comprising a rigid box-like back portion having a back, top and two sides, a pair of side walls hinged to the back portion to the rear of the front edge thereof, each side wall consisting of a plurality of sections hinged together for outward extension in front of the back portion and inward folding within the back pora front wall hinged to each side wall to move therewith to form the front of the cabinet when the same is folded or extended.

3. A folding light bath cabinet comprising a rigid shallow box-like back portion having a back, top and two sides, a pair of side walls hinged'to the back portion to the rear of the front edge thereof, each side wall consisting of a plurality of sections hinged together for outward extension in front of the back portion and inward folding Within the back portion, a top wall pivotally connected to the back portion within the same and movable to a position extending forwardly of the back portion and to a position within the back portion, the top wall including a pair of pivoted doors, means carried by the side walls for supporting the front end of the top wall when the same is in extended position, a front wall hinged at op posite edges of the side walls to keep the outer ends thereof separated and close the front of the cabinet when the same is opened, or closed, and a door in the front wall.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 1st day of October, 1930.

CARL H. ANDERSON. 

